Israeli parliamentary committee deems J Street “pro-Palestinian”

In a hearing called by the committee for Immigration Absorption and Diaspora Affairs on Wednesday to discuss the “breaking of norms regarding the relation of Diaspora Jewish communities to Israeli governments,” the 3-year old progressive American Jewish lobby J Street was probed and vilified as an anti-Zionist organization whose love for Israel is conditional and thus disqualifies it from being “pro-Israel.”

Committee head MK Danny Danon (Likud) asserted his dislike for J Street due to its actions “against Israel” and expressed disapproval of the five members of parliament who attended its annual conference in Washington, DC last month. He screened a YouTube video (composed by a rightwing settler movement called “My Israel” whose home page features a video of Glenn Beck) showing a woman who attended the J Street conference claiming Hamas is no more a terror group than the IDF.

Some of the other attacks levied against J Street included: its stance on the Goldstone Report (J Street did not endorse it but rather stressed the need for Israel to set up an independent commission to investigate the war); the 170,000 members J Street counts as its constituency (claims were made that his number is fictitious because members do not pay dues but are rather counted through the website); its endorsement of the “Gaza 54” house letter urging the Obama administration to pressure Israel to ease the Gaza blockade; its affiliation with Daniel Levy – lead Israeli drafter of the Geneva Accord and member of Israeli delegation to 2001 Taba summit and currently a senior fellow at the New American Foundation – who helped found J Street, due to a quote taken out of context in which they claim he said Israel is not a good idea if it can only survive by the sword. (In fact Levy was taking a cynical jab at those who delegitimize Israel for its very existence as opposed to its actions.); a large donation it received from an unknown woman from Hong Kong; its support for the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement (in truly McCarthy-like style a picture of Jeremy Ben-Ami with a Palestinian resident of the area who has been evicted from his home was circulated around the room)

MK Danon posed two specific questions to J Street Director Jeremy Ben-Ami, who flew from DC especially to attend this hearing. The first, asking whether J Street was opposed to the implementation of sanctions against Iran, was gratuitous since J Street openly worked to ensure those sanctions, as Ben-Ami affirmed in the hearing. The second regarded J Street’s urging the Obama administration not to veto the UN Security Council Resolution condemning Israeli settlements as illegal (which every UN member country except the US voted in favor of). Ben-Ami replied that J Street originally encouraged the US to put forward a new initiative that could delay or circumvent the UN since “the UN is biased against Israel” – but since this did not happen, J Street told the US not to veto a resolution that is perfectly in line with its policy of opposing settlements and which has been its position for the last eight American administrations.

In a prepared statement he recited in English, Ben-Ami clarified that he did not come to the hearing in order to apologize to Israel, but rather to affirm his commitment to the country and to warn it of the risks involved in alienating American Jews who do not share the government’s views and in its further isolation in the global arena. Ben-Ami’s calm and calculated demeanor stood in stark contrast to the rowdy behavior and hostile screaming matches conducted between various members of parliament. Even those MKs arguing in J Street’s defense did so tastelessly. At one point MK Zuaretz (Kadima), sitting right next to Ben-Ami, started screaming at the top of her lungs at MK Danon that J Street is not supposed to be an arm of the Netanyahu government.

MK Otniel Schneller (Kadima) who called for the hearing, claimed the discussion was not a political one, but rather a normative one about values that is couched between “exile and redemption.” Not only did calling Diaspora Jewry in “exile” become passé in 1950, but pitting exile against redemption only works to polarize relations between Israel and American Jewry. Schneller went on to claim that J Street only loves Israel when it is comfortable for it to do so, and since it has not been, it prefers to disassociate itself. He stressed that Israel is a Zionist, democratic and Jewish state and that J Street has no right to decide the country’s policies from across the Atlantic. Despite his insistence that most Israelis are concerned over J Street’s activities, a Forward poll shows that most Israelis don’t even know what J Street is, and of those that do, forty percent think its perfectly alright to oppose government policies, as long as Israel’s right to exist is not challenged.

J Street representative and former MK Davidi Gilo pointed out that J Street is not the first American Jewish group to challenge Israeli government policies, citing the Zionist Organization of America’s opposition to the Oslo accords and the withdrawal from Gaza. Furthermore, he named both Irving Moskowitz and Sheldon Adelson as Americans who have a significant impact on Israeli policies from afar, the former due to his financing of East Jerusalem settlements, and the latter, as owner of the free daily newspaper “Israel Hayom,” known to be a mouthpiece for his close friend Prime Minister Netanyahu.

All the MKs present who spoke in J Street’s defense (and even some who did not) insisted that it is asinine for the Israeli government and embassy not to meet and enter dialogue with them, since no Jew should be dismissed. MK Nachman Shai (Kadima) expressed that he disagrees with almost everything J Street says, but was happy to participate in their conference and engage its constituency. However, even the most progressive of the MKs who articulated that the settlement project is anti-Zionist, insisted J Street’s stance vis-à-vis the US veto of the UN resolution was a mistake.

The hearing lasted nearly three hours and was poorly moderated. Some commentators were given too much time to speak while others, even Ben-Ami himself, were asked to keep it brief. Often one could not understand what was being said amidst all the yelling, which at times turned into highly personal attacks. The shouting was not only tolerated but taken as an acceptable form of communication, especially shameful in the presence of guests from abroad and foreign journalists.

A most embarrassing moment

Sitting in that room with all these elected officials, listening to them scream as Ben-Ami sat quietly watching on, I could not help but feel ashamed. What struck me most about it was the fact that there was no concept of the basic notion of respect for another person’s voice, for the value of listening, of dialogue. How could a government of this fabric, I thought to myself, be expected to conduct respectful dialogue with fellow Jews, much less reach an agreement with its non-Jewish adversaries, when it is not even able to conduct a civilized discussion in its own chambers?

At the close of the discussion MK Danon stated that the committee had reached the conclusion that J Street is in fact a “pro-Palestinian” organization. Following the hearing, Ben-Ami said: “This was an extremely important discussion that has enormous impact on future relations between Israel and Jews abroad. I feel good that open and free dialogue took place.” Amid a barrage of questions by journalists following the session, including whether Ben-Ami is a Zionist, he assured me that he felt welcome in the Knesset.

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LEAVE A COMMENT

COMMENTS

aristeides

FridayMarch 25, 2011

Give it up, Ben-Ami. Israel isn’t worth it. Israel isn’t worthy.

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

FridayMarch 25, 2011

For my part, I blame the Israeli left for this fiasco. When the questions of “who is a jew?” and “whose conversions are legit and whose are not” pops up in the knesset and in the halls of gov’t, the Israeli left has always been strangely silent. When your literati such as A.B. Yehoshua make disparaging comments about secular American Jews, we hear murmurs of concurance from israeli academia and its cheering section on the left. Your contempt for us has been palpable. So of course its no wonder that your buddies on the right feel comfortable demonizing and disenfranchising millions of American Jews. Well guess what folks, there’ll be no more free lunch. The party’s over. From now on this relationship will be kept on a strictly cash basis. You want support for a liberal left agenda? You want us to lean on our politicians for you? Thats nice. How much is it worth to you? Now of course the $64,000 Question is; “Well, what do you want?” I’m glad you asked ;-). For starters, seperation of church and state and the acknowledgement of conservative and reform judaism as being legitamate and equal to that of orthodox judaism. You see chevre, it has now become clear to American Jewry that orthodox judiasm (with the help of your gov’t and society) has set itself against us and is bent upon our disenfranchisement and must be neutralized. I think its about time that Israelis get right with the concept that at the end of the day there are more of us and we’re going to use our numbers and the attendant political influence to protect our intrests and promote our agenda accordingly in regards to Israel. And I wouldn’t bank too much on playing both sides against the middle as far as the American electorate is concerned. The republicans and the democrats don’t give a two-penny shit for Israel. What they care about is the Jewish vote. When the majority of American Jews start disengaing from Israel (which I imagine to be sooner than anyone thought) certain major players within the American establisment (Rand Paul, Walt & Mearsheimer anyone?) will take note of this developement (if they haven’t already) and the arabists and oil lobby will once again be in the ascendant over at the pentagon and the state dept, sammy glicks like wolfowitz and perle notwithstanding. Good luck with all that.

Reply to Comment

Piotr Berman

FridayMarch 25, 2011

I do not understand what is a fiasco here. By the very fact that J Street leader got invited to a Knesset committee he proved that he was communicating, hence, he is not excommunicated. Making political converts to his cause within Israel is a “hard patch to hoe”.

I understand that one of the faults of Israeli left is that it does not articulate a position for the separation of Church and State in Israel. But how is it possible? Israel self-defines itself as a “Jewish state that unfortunately has some Arab citizen whom it tolerates graciously but within reason, dirty enemies as they are”. (I read that the Hebrew term loosely translated to “dirty Arab” is Arabush). Whatever the status of Arabush minority, Jews benefit from the “right of return”, and a “returning person” who is Jewy Jew (as opposed to “technically, a Jew”) is entitled to some subsidy. I understand that in some circumstances, but not all, a Jew is not Jewy if he/she is not “converted”.

Here the story is doubly convoluted. Converts are well, converts, so where do they return? Should all Buddhist converts be granted the right of returning to Nepal (Buddha’s birthplace)? But apart from that, conversion sounds like a religious thing to me. So the state, to separate itself from religion, has to regulate religion.

Perhaps the right of return should be based strictly on mitochondrial DNA.

In any case, the official religion of Israel seems to be Cult of State. Hence, the State has the thoroughly religious role of The Redeemer, and it should be loved (and perhaps feared) by the faithful.

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

FridayMarch 25, 2011

You don’t understand the fiasco. I shouldn’t wonder. Judging by your comment, the entire affair is apparently an amusing abstraction. Believe me when I tell you I wish I could share your glib non-chalance, unfortunately three generations of my family, have given of their substance and lucre to the state of Israel and cannot so blithely walk away from such a betrayal.

“…I understand that one of the faults of Israeli left is that it does not articulate a position for the separation of Church and State in Israel. But how is it possible?”

Ah, such questions! From the mouths of babes! To answer your query, it is possible because the Israeli left simply does not want to articulate a position for the seperation of Church and State. To do so would mean to bring into question their own authenticity as Jews, and since the current regime conflates judaic piety with patriotism, now as Israelis as well

Reply to Comment

Piotr Berman

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

I am sorry for being glib. But to an outsider, it is exotic. Clearly, some people I know in Israel are ethnically Jewish and atheists. I am dimly aware that there are some privileges, rights and duties associated with being “Jewish” rather than merely “Israeli”. And the change of status to “Jewish” is called conversion.

But elsewhere, outside Israel, conversion is a religious term, so either a state is theocratic, or it does not regulate conversions.

It would be more logical to propose some way of becoming Israeli that would not hinge on religion at all, rather than redefine what “conversion” means. Did anyone try? What happened to Shinui?

Reply to Comment

Y.

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

Poor, poor J Street. Hounded by a McCarthy-like hearing where people were hounded repeatedly with questions like: “Are you now or were you ever a member of J Street?”.
.
Oh, wait, that never happened. The (rowdy) debate was on J Street’s policies, and J Street actually sent one of its leaders to discuss this. Apparently, Dehila believe the Israeli parliament has nothing to do with determining who is ‘pro-Israeli’, or that debate is fine and good unless J Street itself is being debated…

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

Okay, very well. You’re right J-Street is not a “Pro-Israel” lobby per se. It is a Pro-Secular-American-Jewish lobby that actually represents the majority opinion amongst American Jewry. As such, its main goal is to affect change in Israel in such a way as to finally allow American Jews go home, go to bed, and finally be Americans, without the hyphen. They`re tired of you. They have no interest in “Greater Israel”, settlements, no interest in furthering the ambitions of the the same people that are consistently trying to screw them. You hate us, you deride us, yet you keep coming back to us demanding validation? And then when you don’t get it, you have a temper tantrum. I should think that anyone who wants something this bad would be willing to pay for it. You want my support? Whats it worth to you?

Reply to Comment

Shira

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

Why not start P-Street, a progressive pro-Palestinian, pro-Peace organization dedicated to justice and equality? Who’s with me here? We can petition for UN resolutions against PLO/Hamas incitement and terror and try bringing other nations onboard to criticize other wrongheaded illiberal and regressive Palestinian government policies. Just because we’re pro-Palestinian doesn’t mean we all walk in lockstep with all Palestinian political decisions – after all we’re progressive friends of Palestine and as friends we must tell those we love when they are wrong and that their policies are working against the best interests of Palestinians. We want only the best for Palestinians and most of all we want peace. As progressives we need to fight for the rights of women and gays within Palestine, as well as persecuted religious minorities, freedom of the press, speech/dissent, separation of powers, trade unions, etc. Palestinian society is embarassingly too rightwing for our tastes. So let’s do it! Who here is with me?

Reply to Comment

Sylvia

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

Shoded Yam

“For starters, seperation of church and state and the acknowledgement of conservative and reform judaism as being legitamate and equal to that of orthodox judaism.”

Separation of Church and State is impossible not only in Israel but also in the entire Middle East. Because then you’ll have to dismantle the entire religious apparatus across the board which comprises not only Jews but various Muslim and Christian faiths.

To understand why as poorly represented as they are the Progressive movements cannot be equal (though they are legitimate) you must understand the religious system. Only mainstream faiths representing the largest number of faithful are officially represented. The others are recognized but they conduct their affairs in sharia courts, bateh din or church councils. For exemple, the official “brand” of Islam is Sunni. It is called the Waqf. The Shia of Israel who are few cannot be “equal” to the Waqf and have a sharia court. Karaite and Samaritan Jews conduct their affairs in their respective Bet Din. The Latin Church is the official Roman catholic and there are the Orthodox Christian churches.
An Orthodox Christian and a Roman Catholic if they want to remain such cannot be married by one of the churches they belong to unless one of them converts – otherwise they have to go to a European country to be married so they can be registered in the Interior Ministry as husband and wife. This is not mandated by the State this is the reality on the ground.

So to have a secular state you’ll have to abolish not only the Rabbinate but also all the other churches/mosques.
In that perspective Reform cannot be equal to the Orthodox Rabbinate. It can only replace it as the official religious body representing the majority of Jews in Israel. But for that you must have a minimum of 51% of Jews that describe themselves as Reform. That’s the way.

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

“…Separation of Church and State is impossible not only in Israel but also in the entire Middle East. Because then you’ll have to dismantle the entire religious apparatus across the board which comprises not only Jews but various Muslim and Christian faiths.”

Yeah? Well I guess its time to do the impossible. Look, as far as I’m concerned its crunch time for Israel. They’ve been having they’re cake and eating it to for a very long time. That time is over. Now is the time to decide what kind of country you want to be. From where I’m sitting, it looks like they’ve made their decision. It is not in my interests nor is it in the interests of many American Jews to support that decision. Therefore, if the Israeli Gov’t desires the continued support of the majority of American Jewry changes will have to be made whether they like it or not.

Reply to Comment

Ben Israel

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

Just for the record….American politicians do NOT support Israel because of the “Jewish vote”, because that is really only important in New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Florida and maybe a couple of other states. Demographically, the Jewish community in the US is in sharp decline due to a low birth rate and assimilation, particularly among the Left/Progressive part of the Jewish community (the non-assimilationist Orthodox community which supports the political-Right and the Republicans is actually growing). Thus, the strong support Israel receives in the US is due to widespread support for Israel among the non-Jewish population. American political support for Zionism began in the 1840′s (yes, in the 19th century) long before there was any significant “Jewish vote” in the US.
So although I agree with Shoded Yam that a significant split is coming between the Left-Progressive parts of the Jewish community and Israel and Zionism, this will not significantly erode American political support for Israe.

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

SaturdayMarch 26, 2011

“…Thus, the strong support Israel receives in the US is due to widespread support for Israel among the non-Jewish population. American political support for Zionism began in the 1840’s (yes, in the 19th century) long before there was any significant “Jewish vote” in the US.”

The relation between American political support for zionism in the 1840′s and the nature of that support today, is tenuous at best, the only common thread being that the basis of this support is rooted in christian evangelicalism. This support is essentially based upon the eventual destruction of the Jews. The claim that this support would carry any weight without the affirmation of the majority of American Jews is absurd and the height of cynicism.

Brandeis v. Cohen et al.: The Distancing
from Israel Debate

“…Cohen and Kelman interpret their data as indicating that a ‘‘cohort’’ of younger
and increasingly intermarried Jews is emerging that will weaken overall
American attachment to Israel. When the current young and often intermarried
generation is followed by similarly minded younger American Jews, support for
Israel will weaken. They state in this issue of the journal: ‘‘All things considered,
we think that non-Orthodox Jews in America, as a group, are growing more
distant from Israel and will continue to so.’’

while there are some qualifiers that indicate in the long term that this might change, for the short term it is the reality and it is the reality at present. Re. J-street and its significance;

“…Regardless of one’s personal ideology, it is clear that the rise of J-Street
represents a change in the American Jewish political landscape, supporting positions
that have not been as actively voiced in America as in Israel.”

“…What is critical to the ‘‘distancing’’
hypothesis, and supports the Cohen–Kelman thesis, is that J-Street appears to have
emerged because an increasing number of younger American Jews, less connected
to Israel, were more critical of Israel’s policies on settlements, etc., and formed a
nascent base of support for the new organization. J-Street both reflected and
legitimized public criticism of Israeli policies in the United States, paralleling
similar movements within Israel itself, while still stressing its support for peace and
for Israel’s future.”

I suggest that while secular American Jews will act according to their interests as Jews re. Israel, they will take a page out of the orthodox play book and present themselves and their concerns to their political representatives as well as other Americans as the concerns of Americans, rather than as disloyal Jews concerned with only themselves and Israel.

Re.

“… American politicians do NOT support Israel because of the “Jewish vote”, because that is really only important in New York, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Florida and maybe a couple of other states. ”

Well now. Seeing as these are the states that carry elections, (namely the last one) apparently American politicians DO support Isarel because of the Jewish vote. Try again, sparky.

Reply to Comment

Ben Israel

SundayMarch 27, 2011

The unstated assumption here is that American politicians support Israel because of the pressure of the Jewish lobby, and that the “real” interest of America and its politicians is too support the Palestinians and to oppose Israel and its policies. I don’t think that is at all obvious. Maybe it is true of the Left/Progressives in the US, but they are a minority of the American electorate.

Reply to Comment

Rabbi Tony Jutner

SundayMarch 27, 2011

I call on J Street not to apologize for its positions, but to explicitly endorse BDS and the Right of Return of the Palestinian People. Being pro-israel and Pro-Peace makes less sense than a pregnant virgin. I alsothink that the comments of Sheded Yam graphically illustrate why as long as israel exists, there will not be peace

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

SundayMarch 27, 2011

“…The unstated assumption here is that American politicians support Israel because of the pressure of the Jewish lobby, and that the “real” interest of America and its politicians is too support the Palestinians”

You need to get out of the shtetl. You think American politicians have some visceral interest in your political aspirations? Thats Americas primary concern in the middle east? Tsk, tsk, tsk. This is what comes from formulating postulations in the back row of the shtiebel. In any event, its more about what America’s corporate interests are concerned with and the concerns of its minions in the state dept and the pentagon rather than what’s keeping Gary Ackerman awake at night. I hardly think that while regime change in the middle east is happening overnight and the prospect that the supply of energy might be threatened because of such change, America’s real masters are going to be overly concerned about whether or nor not Rifka and Yankel and the 6 screaming brats, will be upset because they won’t get to keep their caravan built atop that they built on internationally contested land that they stole. Seeing as China’s appetite for oil and other energy is voracious, and America’s influence is on the wane in that part of the world, it is quite possible, even likely, that this decision will be a no-brainer.

Btw, if anyone is interested “Rabbi Tony Jutner” does not exist either as an actual person or a cyber-personality. Quite obviously he’s some sort of sock-puppet being run by someone or someones for the purposes of provocation.

Reply to Comment

aristeides

SundayMarch 27, 2011

Politicians in the US give their support to Israel, not so much because of Jewish votes but because of large Jewish campaign contributions funneled through groups like AIPAC. The US political system runs on corruption and bribery from lobbies and special interest groups.

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

SundayMarch 27, 2011

“…Politicians in the US give their support to Israel, not so much because of Jewish votes but because of large Jewish campaign contributions funneled through groups like AIPAC.”

Correct. Hypothetically, what would be the effect if a large percentage of that money started to flow through Jewish-American groups (with the emphasis on “American” rather than Jewish),concerned with advocating for their own
communities within American society rather than for Israel and see support for a comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians as being essential toward that goal? Remember, there’s more than one George Soros.

Reply to Comment

aristeides

SundayMarch 27, 2011

Who would freely undergo the vilification and defamation that the Jewish establishment has heaped on Soros? Surely it is intended in part “pour decourager les autres.”

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

SundayMarch 27, 2011

“Who would freely undergo the vilification and defamation that the Jewish establishment has heaped on Soros? Surely it is intended in part “pour decourager les autres.”

You know, its an interesting thing about the Jewish Establishment. The catalyst for its genesis was a desire to gain entre into the wasp establishment. When that didn’t prove possible, Jews like Kristol, Peretz, and the rest of the pantheon of Jewish Neo-Cons decided to create a “paralell establishment”. Its creation and being have less to do with influenceing Jews as much as it has to do with influencing everybody else. But what happens when everybody else has moved on? What happens when everybody else is sick of fighting wars in the mideast and eleswhere? What happen when they percieve no discernible benefit form these festering sores but the oil companies still want to make money? Since the purpose of the Jewish Establishment is to essentially lay claim to a nice wedge of the American Pie in perpetuity, it cannot afford to buck the census. Therefore, I forsee afuture whereby such organizations as AIPAC will not only support a settlement freeze, but a full scale evacuation from most of the West Bank.

Reply to Comment

Rabbi Tony Jutner

TuesdayMarch 29, 2011

I have long stated that J Street needs to take an explicit anti-zionist stand or become a second AIPAC. I am one of the leading demonizers and defamers of israel in the USA, as opposed to “Shoded Yam” who is a Yankel wannabe who has likely never fought the occupation, but “bravely fights” from the comfort of his keyboard. Under the influence of NewJudaism, J Street U has dropped the “pro-israel” from its “pro-israel, Pro Peace moniker”. Jewish youth influenced by my NewJudaism movement have given zionist squawker MIchael Oren chilly receptions at Brandeis

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

TuesdayMarch 29, 2011

“…Shoded Yam” who is a Yankel wannabe who has likely never fought the occupation, but “bravely fights” from the comfort of his keyboard.”

It’s not my job to fight the occupation. My family and I have done our bit for Israel. My wife and I both served with Zahal, my wifes family actually being one of the founding families of the state, with a grandfather buried in Trumpledor Cemetary with a headstone that reads; “First Baby born in the Municapality of Tel Aviv”. That being said, its up to Israelis to fight the occupation. The left wing in Israel has had almost 50 years to fight the occupation. It had 50 years to gain an understanding that their country and gov’t have been undermined and corrupted by American Orthodox Jewish and neo-con money and influence coupled with Israeli right-wing avarice. The majority of them chose to ignore it. They went along with it, just as they’re going along with the disenfranchisement of American Jews, because their sense of “Jewish Authenticity” is more valuable to them, the sanctimonious squawking of the +972/ Rehov Sheinkin crowd nothwithstanding. My interest in this is purely personal. I served Israel as a combat soldier for three years (1985-1988). Never asked for anything in return, having felt it was an honor to have been part of something greater than myself. Today, seeing as how every towelboy from the mikveh shows up in Israel, shows his TsiTsi, twirls his payes and the next thing you know he sitting in a 3 bedroom villa, with a carport and california kitchen, his wife working a make-work job provided by the state while her 45 year-old husband studies fairy-tales all day gratis with the thanks of a grateful nation, in hindsight maybe I should’ve. In any case if Israel wants anything more from me and mine, they better come ready to do business.

Reply to Comment

Rabbi Tony Jutner

TuesdayMarch 29, 2011

Shoded Yam, I have no way of confirming a single word of what you say is true. On previous blogs, you have said that when you use your real name, you get a lot of nasty emails. That is spit in the ocean compared with the activists who take real risks in ending israel, such as ISM or the flotilla participants. Your last sentence is also ridiculous.”if Israel wants anything more from me and mine, they better come ready to do business” why should you want anything from israel? True celebrities, like Pete Seeger and Roger Waters are prepared to cease doing business with Israel forever, and you keep wating for Israel in the dangerous slums of the San Fernando valley?

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

TuesdayMarch 29, 2011

As long as you already have a sock on, try jerking off with the left hand. Maybe the right hand will get jealous.

Reply to Comment

Rabbi Tony Jutner

ThursdayMarch 31, 2011

This comment was edited by a moderator. Please do not engage in gratuitous insults or rudeness.

Shoded, I will take your word for it.

Pity that you dont devote your considerable talents to fighting israel in a more constructive method. Hiding behind a keyboard is not particularly effective

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

ThursdayMarch 31, 2011

I’m flattered, really I am. Apparently, what ever agency in Israel is running you fears I’ve touched a nerve. I’m just same nameless guy on the internet, and yet your worried. The Israel of the past would never have bothered with someone as insignificant as I am. Thats what comes from stocking the beauracracy with talmud-thumping nitwits. That should be a lesson to everybody. Your identity is irrelevant to a moron. Its complex truths that they fear (and mainly because of there complexity, not the politics). Thats good. Quite gratifying.

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

ThursdayMarch 31, 2011

And not to make too fine of a point of it, but what kind of “rabbi” speaks like that? While not having a flock to tend to, I can allow myself a little latitude. I should think “The Rabbinate” would’ve set the bar somewhat higher though for prospective aspirants. What with drug money laundering, spousal abuse, trading in human organs and child molestation, why should anyone be surprised?

Reply to Comment

Shoded Yam

ThursdayMarch 31, 2011

I’m not fighting Israel, and in any event I wouldn’t want to steal your thunder since you’re seemingly doing such a good job of it all on your own. What I’m doing is presenting Israel with an invoice for services rendered, and I expect to be paid in the form of legislation providing for the seperation of church and state and/or with assurances that my loved ones will not be spiritually disenfranchised by a state sanctioned religous body, before my family or myself provide anymore services to the Jewish Republic. Period

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I am an independent writer, translator and editor, originally from NYC. My publications include The Guardian, The New York Times, Salon, The Daily Beast, National Geographic, Al Jazeera America, The Forward, etc.

I began reporting for The Guardian in January 2015. Previously I worked as an editor with Haaretz.com from 2012-2014 and before that as an editor here on +972. I have also worked for various NGOs, including the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and Ir Amim. I am fascinated by the role Israel plays in Jewish identity and American politics and wrote my MA thesis on the changing definition of “pro-Israelism” in American Jewry.

I am active with Ta’ayush, a direct-action Arab-Jewish group whose activism focuses on the human and political rights of the rural Palestinian communities of the occupied South Hebron Hills.

About +972 Magazine

+972 is an independent, blog-based web magazine. It was launched in August 2010, resulting from a merger of a number of popular English-language blogs dealing with life and politics in Israel and Palestine.

+972 is an independent, blog-based web magazine. It was launched in August 2010, resulting from a merger of a number of popular English-language blogs dealing with life and politics in Israel and Palestine.